UFC CEO Dana White Corrects Joe Rogan on Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall Fight Rumor

A Jones vs. Aspinall matchup may not be in the cards for 2025 after all.

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

UFC CEO Dana White apparently spoke with Joe Rogan to dispel a rumor regarding Jon Jones’ requested payday for a fight with Tom Aspinall.

Rogan Retracts "Bulls***" Jones vs. Aspinall Rumor

The UFC is set to return this weekend with a Fight Night event headlined by Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas in Las Vegas, but even with a number of huge fights already on the calendar for early 2025 many fans are still eager for news regarding a potential heavyweight title unification bout between the division’s interim champion Aspinall and Jones.

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“Bones” teased that he might be open to meeting the Englishman following his first heavyweight title defense against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, and on a recent episode of his podcast Rogan claimed that he’d heard Jones was asking the UFC for $30 million to put the fight together.

Nov 16, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Jon Jones (red gloves) reacts after defeating Stipe Miocic (not pictured) in the heavyweight bout during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Rogan’s claim understandably sent waves throughout the combat sports community, but on a more recent episode of his show the comedian and UFC commentator told Theo Von that there was actually no truth to the rumor.

“I have to correct something,” Rogan said. “I had heard a rumor that Jon Jones wanted $30 million to fight Tom Aspinall. And I did hear that rumor, and I did hear that the UFC said ‘Yes’, but it is not true…Dana [White] contacted me, he said that rumor is bulls***. So, I felt obligated to tell everybody, that was a fake rumor.”

Jones Contemplating Retirement

There was significant speculation leading up to UFC 309 that Jones might retire from fighting with a win over two-time heavyweight king Miocic, and Rogan went on to say that the future UFC Hall of Famer is still considering hanging up his gloves without stepping into the Octagon with Aspinall.

Nov 11, 2023; New York, NY, USA; Tom Aspinall (blue gloves) prepares to fight Sergei Pavlovich (red gloves) during UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

“Apparently Jon is thinking about retiring,” Rogan continued. “And he should – I mean, he’s going to have to someday. I’m not saying he should retire, I’m saying he should think about it. Give the man all the time he wants, he could fight whenever he wants to fight. That’s Jon Jones, he’s the GOAT.”

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Considered by many fans to already be the GOAT of MMA even before he moved up to heavyweight, Jones has only stepped into the Octagon twice since 2020 and was sidelined for an extended period after suffering a pec injury during the lead-up to his originally-scheduled matchup with Miocic at UFC 295 in 2023.

Rogan is correct that the 37-year-old’s fighting legacy is already secure even without the Aspinall matchup, but fans would still love to see “Bones” try to unify the heavyweight titles against a dangerous opponent that boasts an incredible 100% finishing rate in his 15 pro victories.

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